These homegrown trailblazers are proving that the years after 50 shine bright.
From logistics, to hotels, the Reserve Bank, to the pop charts. These four Australian women made the Forbes Asia-Pacific list of 50 over 50.
Michele Bullock: Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia
Michele Bullock joined the Reserve Bank in 1985, and 38 years later ascended to the top role as Governor.
Bullock studied Economics at the University of New England and completed a Masters at the London School of Economics in 1989. She is the first woman to head the Reserve Bank of Australia.
In 2022, the Melbourne-born, rural NSW-raised economist told the University of New England that public service is her primary interest.
“It’s a great environment for inquiry and challenge, and there are lots of different things you can do here. I started in Economics and moved to Financial Markets, but I also spent time in the operational areas of note-printing, banking and payments. I have also been involved in the payments policy side. It’s offered a great breadth of things for me contribute to and underlying it all, is that it’s in the public interest, which works for me.”
Christine Holgate: CEO, Team Global Express
Christine Holgate became CEO of Team Global Express three years ago. She was previously the CEO of Australia Post, and prior to that held Managing Director roles at Blackmores and Telstra.
Holgate was brought in to lead TGE by private equity firm Allegro which specialises in turnarounds. The express parcel and freight delivery service now employs more than 8,000 people across Australia and New Zealand and serves 36,000 customers.
Holgate shared her thoughts on leadership with Forbes Australia in April 2023.
“I got asked the other day, ‘What is leadership?’ And I answered, ‘It’s a privilege.’ Which is what I think. It’s bringing people together, having a vision for the future and inspiring those people.”
Kylie Minogue: Recording artist
55-year-old Grammy-winning artist Kylie Minogue also made the list.
Minogue sold over 80 million records making her the highest-selling Australian-born solo artist of all time. She currently holds a residency at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.
Born in Melbourne, Minogue came to national acclaim through her role on Neighbours. She went on to have an international career as a recording artist and remains hugely popular in the U.K. and Australia.
Minogue has won two Grammys throughout her career, and been nominated for four more. She has also received an OBE and an OAM.
Charlotte Vidor: Co-founder and Co-owner Toga Group
89-year-old Charlotte Vidor founded Toga with her husband Ervin Vidor in 1963. Branching out from Sydney, Toga Group properties can now be found across Australia, as well as New Zealand, Europe and Asia.
The Toga Group has three divisions: Development and Construction, Far East Hotels, and Property Investment.
TFE Hotels was created as part of a joint venture between TOGA and Far East Orchard Limited. The company operates 80 hotels in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Austria, and Hungary as well as Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Switzerland.
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